Christian Hunter is the executive chef of Community Table, a farm-focused restaurant in the fairly remote town of Litchfield, Conn.
Originally from Lexington, Ky., he earned a culinary degree from Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York and started cooking not far from there at Lake Placid Lodge, a Relais & Châteaux in the area. He went on to cook at The Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island as well as Millstone Café in Kent, Conn., a 30-minute drive from Litchfield, before returning to the south and exploring the broader culinary world of Charleston, S.C.
“I had technical proficiency but the restaurant scene in Charleston is incredibly exciting, and it introduced me to all kinds of new ingredients and ideas,” he said.
He was job hunting in 2020 and got the call from Community Table, where he started his first executive chef position.
He recently discussed his approach to working with local farmers to create dishes that are approachable, fun and delicious, as well as his approach to managing cooks.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]
